Palmitate impairs circadian transcriptomics in muscle cells through histone modification of enhancers

Acknowledgements The authors are supported by grants from the Novo Nordisk Foundation (NNF14OC0011493 and NNF17OC0030088), EFSD/Novo Nordisk Foundation Future Leader Award (NNF21SA0072747), Swedish Diabetes Foundation (DIA2021-641 and DIA2021-645), Swedish Research Council (2015-00165 and 2018-02389), KID-funding (2-3591/2014), the Strategic Research Program in Diabetes at Karolinska Institutet (2009-1068), Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions (European Commission, 675610 and 704978), and Novo Nordisk postdoctoral fellowship run in partnership with Karolinska Institutet. Additional support was received from the Novo Nordisk Foundation Center for Basic Metabolic Research at the University of Copenhagen (NNF18CC0034900).Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Georeferenced soil information system: assessment of database

Land-use planning is a decision-making process that facilitates the allocation of land to different uses that provide optimal and sustainable benefit. As land-use is shaped by society–nature interaction, in land-use planning different components/facets play a significant role involving soil, water, climate, animal (ruminant/ non-ruminant) and others, including forestry and the environment needed for survival of mankind. At times these components are moderated by human interference. Thus land-use planning being a dynamic phenomenon is not guided by a single factor, but by a complex system working simultaneously,which largely affects the sustainability. To address such issues a National Agricultural Innovation Project (NAIP) on ‘Georeferenced soil information system for land-use planning and monitoring soil and land quality for agriculture’ was undertaken to develop threshold values of land quality parameters for land-use planning through quantitative land evaluation and crop modelling for dominant cropping systems in major agro-ecological sub-regions (AESRs) representing rice–wheat cropping system in the Indo-Gangetic Plains (IGP) and deep-rooted crops in the black soil regions (BSR). To assess the impact of landuse change, threshold land quality indicator values are used. A modified AESR map for agricultural landuse planning is generated for effective land-use planning

Soil information system: use and potentials in humid and semi-arid tropics

The articles presented in this special section emanated from the researches of consortium members of the National Agricultural Innovative Project (NAIP, Component 4) of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR), New Delhi. These researches have helped develop a soil information system (SIS). In view of the changing scenario all over the world, the need of the hour is to get assistance from a host of researchers specialized in soils, crops, geology, geography and information technology to make proper use of the datasets. Equipped with the essential knowledge of data storage and retrieval for management recommendations, these experts should be able to address the issues of land degradation, biodiversity, food security, climate change and ultimately arrive at an appropriate agricultural land-use planning. Moreover, as the natural resource information is an essential prerequisite for monitoring and predicting global environmental change with special reference to climate and land use options, the SIS needs to be a dynamic exercise to accommodate temporal datasets, so that subsequently it should result in the evolution of the soil information technology. The database developed through this NAIP would serve as an example of the usefulness of the Consortium and the research initiative of ICAR involving experts from different fields to find out the potentials of the soils of humid and semi-arid bioclimatic systems of the country

Role of nuclear receptors in the regulation of human adipose tissue metabolism

Nuclear receptors modulate expression of genes involved in adipose tissue (AT) metabolism. Their improved understanding may provide new treatment options for metabolic disorders such as obesity, insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). This thesis explored the role of nuclear receptors, mainly, glucocorticoid and estrogen receptors (GR and ER, respectively) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), and their interplay in the regulation of metabolic function and dysfunction in human AT. In Paper I, the regulation of adipokine lipocalin 2 (LCN2) expression by synthetic glucocorticoid, dexamethasone and effect of LCN2 on glucose and lipid metabolism in AT were studied. In pre-menopausal but not post-menopausal women or men, dexamethasone upregulated LCN2 gene expression, which also correlated with markers of obesity and IR. LCN2 inhibited adipocyte glucose uptake. In Paper II, the effect of estrogen (E2) and its interaction with GR in LCN2 regulation in AT from post-menopausal women were examined. E2 increased LCN2 expression, what seems to be mediated by ERβ. E2 and dexamethasone co-treatment increased LCN2 gene expression in presence of ERα but not ERβ antagonist. Dexamethasone decreased ERα, while increased ERβ gene expression. In Paper III and IV, the feasibility of genotype-based recall (GBR), a participant recruitment approach, was tested by undertaking clinical and AT phenotyping of different PPARγ Pro12Ala carriers. The baseline characteristics were comparable between genotypes. Compared to fasting, a decreased hormone-sensitive lipase gene expression in Pro/Pro group also accompanied with a higher antilipolytic effect of insulin after oral glucose. Adipocyte glucose uptake and adipogenesis remained unchanged between genotypes. Overall, LCN2 can induce IR in human AT and may mediate metabolic defects by excess glucocorticoids in pre-menopausal women. GR selectively interacts with ERα and ERβ, the latter two acts oppositely to control LCN2 expression in AT. PPARγ Pro12Ala had no major effect on clinical and adipose phenotype, likely due to a small sample size in relation to the modest effect the Ala variant or tissues other than adipose could be critical in conferring protection by Pro12Ala against T2D risk. Further, the GBR approach deemed feasible, however, would be more suitable in the characterization of rare genetic variants

Role of nuclear receptors in the regulation of human adipose tissue metabolism

Nuclear receptors modulate expression of genes involved in adipose tissue (AT) metabolism. Their improved understanding may provide new treatment options for metabolic disorders such as obesity, insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). This thesis explored the role of nuclear receptors, mainly, glucocorticoid and estrogen receptors (GR and ER, respectively) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), and their interplay in the regulation of metabolic function and dysfunction in human AT. In Paper I, the regulation of adipokine lipocalin 2 (LCN2) expression by synthetic glucocorticoid, dexamethasone and effect of LCN2 on glucose and lipid metabolism in AT were studied. In pre-menopausal but not post-menopausal women or men, dexamethasone upregulated LCN2 gene expression, which also correlated with markers of obesity and IR. LCN2 inhibited adipocyte glucose uptake. In Paper II, the effect of estrogen (E2) and its interaction with GR in LCN2 regulation in AT from post-menopausal women were examined. E2 increased LCN2 expression, what seems to be mediated by ERβ. E2 and dexamethasone co-treatment increased LCN2 gene expression in presence of ERα but not ERβ antagonist. Dexamethasone decreased ERα, while increased ERβ gene expression. In Paper III and IV, the feasibility of genotype-based recall (GBR), a participant recruitment approach, was tested by undertaking clinical and AT phenotyping of different PPARγ Pro12Ala carriers. The baseline characteristics were comparable between genotypes. Compared to fasting, a decreased hormone-sensitive lipase gene expression in Pro/Pro group also accompanied with a higher antilipolytic effect of insulin after oral glucose. Adipocyte glucose uptake and adipogenesis remained unchanged between genotypes. Overall, LCN2 can induce IR in human AT and may mediate metabolic defects by excess glucocorticoids in pre-menopausal women. GR selectively interacts with ERα and ERβ, the latter two acts oppositely to control LCN2 expression in AT. PPARγ Pro12Ala had no major effect on clinical and adipose phenotype, likely due to a small sample size in relation to the modest effect the Ala variant or tissues other than adipose could be critical in conferring protection by Pro12Ala against T2D risk. Further, the GBR approach deemed feasible, however, would be more suitable in the characterization of rare genetic variants

Role of nuclear receptors in the regulation of human adipose tissue metabolism

Nuclear receptors modulate expression of genes involved in adipose tissue (AT) metabolism. Their improved understanding may provide new treatment options for metabolic disorders such as obesity, insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). This thesis explored the role of nuclear receptors, mainly, glucocorticoid and estrogen receptors (GR and ER, respectively) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), and their interplay in the regulation of metabolic function and dysfunction in human AT. In Paper I, the regulation of adipokine lipocalin 2 (LCN2) expression by synthetic glucocorticoid, dexamethasone and effect of LCN2 on glucose and lipid metabolism in AT were studied. In pre-menopausal but not post-menopausal women or men, dexamethasone upregulated LCN2 gene expression, which also correlated with markers of obesity and IR. LCN2 inhibited adipocyte glucose uptake. In Paper II, the effect of estrogen (E2) and its interaction with GR in LCN2 regulation in AT from post-menopausal women were examined. E2 increased LCN2 expression, what seems to be mediated by ERβ. E2 and dexamethasone co-treatment increased LCN2 gene expression in presence of ERα but not ERβ antagonist. Dexamethasone decreased ERα, while increased ERβ gene expression. In Paper III and IV, the feasibility of genotype-based recall (GBR), a participant recruitment approach, was tested by undertaking clinical and AT phenotyping of different PPARγ Pro12Ala carriers. The baseline characteristics were comparable between genotypes. Compared to fasting, a decreased hormone-sensitive lipase gene expression in Pro/Pro group also accompanied with a higher antilipolytic effect of insulin after oral glucose. Adipocyte glucose uptake and adipogenesis remained unchanged between genotypes. Overall, LCN2 can induce IR in human AT and may mediate metabolic defects by excess glucocorticoids in pre-menopausal women. GR selectively interacts with ERα and ERβ, the latter two acts oppositely to control LCN2 expression in AT. PPARγ Pro12Ala had no major effect on clinical and adipose phenotype, likely due to a small sample size in relation to the modest effect the Ala variant or tissues other than adipose could be critical in conferring protection by Pro12Ala against T2D risk. Further, the GBR approach deemed feasible, however, would be more suitable in the characterization of rare genetic variants

Role of nuclear receptors in the regulation of human adipose tissue metabolism

Nuclear receptors modulate expression of genes involved in adipose tissue (AT) metabolism. Their improved understanding may provide new treatment options for metabolic disorders such as obesity, insulin resistance (IR) and type 2 diabetes (T2D). This thesis explored the role of nuclear receptors, mainly, glucocorticoid and estrogen receptors (GR and ER, respectively) and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ), and their interplay in the regulation of metabolic function and dysfunction in human AT. In Paper I, the regulation of adipokine lipocalin 2 (LCN2) expression by synthetic glucocorticoid, dexamethasone and effect of LCN2 on glucose and lipid metabolism in AT were studied. In pre-menopausal but not post-menopausal women or men, dexamethasone upregulated LCN2 gene expression, which also correlated with markers of obesity and IR. LCN2 inhibited adipocyte glucose uptake. In Paper II, the effect of estrogen (E2) and its interaction with GR in LCN2 regulation in AT from post-menopausal women were examined. E2 increased LCN2 expression, what seems to be mediated by ERβ. E2 and dexamethasone co-treatment increased LCN2 gene expression in presence of ERα but not ERβ antagonist. Dexamethasone decreased ERα, while increased ERβ gene expression. In Paper III and IV, the feasibility of genotype-based recall (GBR), a participant recruitment approach, was tested by undertaking clinical and AT phenotyping of different PPARγ Pro12Ala carriers. The baseline characteristics were comparable between genotypes. Compared to fasting, a decreased hormone-sensitive lipase gene expression in Pro/Pro group also accompanied with a higher antilipolytic effect of insulin after oral glucose. Adipocyte glucose uptake and adipogenesis remained unchanged between genotypes. Overall, LCN2 can induce IR in human AT and may mediate metabolic defects by excess glucocorticoids in pre-menopausal women. GR selectively interacts with ERα and ERβ, the latter two acts oppositely to control LCN2 expression in AT. PPARγ Pro12Ala had no major effect on clinical and adipose phenotype, likely due to a small sample size in relation to the modest effect the Ala variant or tissues other than adipose could be critical in conferring protection by Pro12Ala against T2D risk. Further, the GBR approach deemed feasible, however, would be more suitable in the characterization of rare genetic variants

CABLES1 expression is reduced in human subcutaneous adipose tissue in obesity and type 2 diabetes but may not directly impact adipocyte glucose and lipid metabolism

Cdk5 and Abl enzyme substrate 1 (CABLES1) is a cell cycle regulator that has previously been identified as a candidate gene for obesity-related phenotypes, but little is known about its role in adipose tissue metabolism. In this study, we explore the role of CABLES1 in obesity and type 2 diabetes (T2D) in human subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT). We performed gene expression analysis of SAT obtained from subjects with and without T2D, and from a second validation cohort consisting of subjects without T2D. We used CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing to perform CABLES1 loss-of-function studies in human primary preadipocytes and assessed them functionally after differentiation. CABLES1 gene expression in SAT was decreased in T2D by almost 25%, and inversely associated with insulin resistance markers and hyperglycaemia. mRNA levels were reduced with increasing BMI and negatively correlated with obesity markers. We found that adipocytes are likely the main CABLES1-expressing cell type in SAT, but CABLES1 depletion in adipocytes caused no phenotypical changes in regards to differentiation, glucose uptake, or expression of key genes of adipocyte function. These findings suggest that CABLES1 gene expression in SAT might be altered in obesity and T2D as a consequence of metabolic dysregulation rather than being a causal factor

Changes in Circulating Cytokines and Adipokines After RYGB in Patients with and without Type 2 Diabetes

Objective This study aimed to compare cytokine and adipokine levels in patients with obesity with and without type 2 diabetes (T2D) at baseline and 6 months after Roux‐en‐Y gastric bypass (RYGB) with healthy controls. Methods A total of 34 patients (21 with T2D) with BMI of 30 to 45 kg/m2 were compared with 25 healthy controls without obesity. Cytokines, adipokines, and peptides of relevance for inflammation and metabolism were analyzed in plasma. Results Significant decreases in weight and glycated hemoglobin A1c were observed. At baseline, interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), IFN‐β, IL‐18, leptin, and hepatocyte growth factor were higher in all patients with obesity compared with healthy controls. In patients without T2D, TNF‐α, IL‐1α, IL‐2, IL‐15, and visfatin were also increased, whereas bone morphogenic protein‐4 was decreased. Following RYGB, IL‐6 and hepatocyte growth factor were still increased in both groups compared with controls. In T2D patients, IFN‐β, IL‐27, IL‐1α, IL‐2, regenerating islet‐derived protein 3A, visfatin, and osteopontin were found to be increased. In patients without T2D, TNF‐α, IL‐1α, IL‐2, IL‐15, leptin, and visfatin remained increased. Conclusions The altered cytokine profile of patients with obesity persisted after RYGB despite large weight loss and improved metabolic status, thus reflecting an inherent inflammatory state.Title in thesis list of papers: Changes in circulating cytokines and adipokines after gastric bypass surgery in patients with obesity with and without type 2 diabetes</p

Sleep apnea in men is associated with altered lipid metabolism, glucose tolerance, insulin sensitivity, and body fat percentage

Purpose: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is associated with obesity and risk for type 2 diabetes. In this community-based study, we thoroughly investigated fatty acid metabolism, incretin response, glucose tolerance, insulin secretion and insulin sensitivity, and autonomic nerve activity in men with or without OSA. Methods: Fifteen men without diabetes but with signs of severe OSA, defined as apnea–hypopnea index (AHI) &gt;30, and 15 age- and BMI-matched men without OSA (AHI &lt; 5) were recruited from a community-based cohort. Assessments included clinical and anthropometric measurements, a 2-h oral glucose tolerance test (OGTT), and autonomic nerve activity using heart rate variability (HRV). Results: Men with OSA had higher body fat % than BMI-matched men without OSA (p = 0.046) and it was associated with markers of insulin resistance. The area under the curve for nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) during OGTT was higher in men with OSA (p = 0.021) and fasting NEFA levels were numerically higher (p = 0.097). The plasma glucose at fasting and during OGTT was higher in men with OSA (p &lt; 0.001). Incretin response was similar between groups. Fasting and OGTT-derived indices indicated impaired insulin sensitivity in men with OSA. Compared with men without OSA, Matsuda index (p = 0.068) and Gutt index (p &lt; 0.01) were lower in men with OSA. The HRV measures did not differ between groups. Conclusions: Our study suggests that fatty acid handling, glucose tolerance, and insulin sensitivity are impaired in men with severe OSA. This might partly be explained by the increased body fat percentage